Tunnel Vision

September is the time of year when thousands of car enthusiasts descend on Singapore from around the world to enjoy what many see as the most exciting race on the Formula One Grand Prix circuit. The stands are up, the track is in top condition and the city-state’s hotels filled to capacity as the busiest weekend of the year fast approaches.

With such palpable excitement in the air, I decided to get myself in the mood for this high- octane weekend of racing, music and parties by jumping behind the wheel of a supercar and trying the track out for myself.

With three supercars in their stable, Ultimate Drive allows you do just that. Featuring a Ferrari F430 F1 Spider and two Lamborghini Gallardo Spyders, the company offers the opportunity to drive or be driven around some of Singapore’s most iconic locations, including parts of the F1 circuit itself.

Drives are separated into 15-minute, 30-minute and 60-minute segments, each aimed at getting the most out of the car in the allocated time.

Whether you choose to drive or be driven, or both, you will always have a representative from Ultimate Drive in the car beside you so if you want to go as a couple, it’s recommended to choose the 60-minute circuit, allowing you to swap cars half-way round to see how they compare. Not only is this more fun when you drive together on the road, but you get a 10% discount into the bargain!

The newest car in the Ultimate Drive stable is a bright orange Gallardo so I was keen to give it as much of a thrashing around Singapore’s roads as the law would allow – the one advantage to the high price of purchasing cars in Singapore is that there is very little traffic clogging the streets during the day, away from the obvious rush hour peak periods.

This allows you to have some fun and turn some heads with the car’s sleek to-die-for looks and accompanying engine roar.

I have to admit that I was slightly nervous when initially clambering into the cockpit. Having no experience of navigating such a creature around ordered city streets, I hoped they had a watertight insurance policy for the possibility of drivers unwittingly ramming into a car from behind after a soft caress of the accelerator pedal.

Thankfully the reality is that the controls are not far removed from a standard car and the Gallardo was remarkably easy to drive. With either fully automatic or paddle shift gears, which default to automatic, it’s impossible to stall or make any serious error, allowing you a stress-free driving experience.

In fact it was so easy that at one stage I forgot I was driving a V10 520 HP beast capable of 315km/h and was left for dust by a minivan. My co-pilot Raj however was very patient and directed me expertly around the landmarks that make the Singapore race so special. Roaring past the Singapore Flyer, the Esplanade, the Fullerton and the Padang, we then opened up the engine a bit on the ECP expressway, heading back home to the iconic Marina Bay Sands.

All three cars are convertibles, which is great for some souvenir snaps and maintaining the illusion, however briefly, that you can actually afford such an incredible driving machine.

For S$58 Ultimate Drive also includes a video of your tour with the package, taken at both forward and backward angles, so you can relive the experience again and again if you choose. All drivers or passengers will also receive a certificate confirming your status as an Ultimate Driver, which is definitely worth the bragging rights – how ultimate I was shall remain a secret.